


Flash Fanfiction - Episode 18 - Legends

by Mindmarvel



Series: Flash Fanfic Introducing Mind Marvel [18]
Category: The Flash - All Media Types
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-05
Updated: 2018-03-05
Packaged: 2019-03-27 12:33:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 11,480
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13880964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mindmarvel/pseuds/Mindmarvel
Summary: Barry tells his friends about the Flashpoint that he had caused. Meanwhile, Jefferson Jackson is coming to terms with becoming apart of Firestorm. Leonard Snart and Mick Rory return seeking the teams help in relation to a magical totem that they stole and sold. Introducing Mari McCabe as Vixen and Ray Palmer as Atom.





	1. Chapter 1

Caitlin sat at the foot of Ronnie's grave, replacing the flowers. She had been here every day since his funeral to tell him everything that had transpired and today was no different.  
"So last night was Halloween. There was a man from Gotham City who invented a poison that caused everyone to receive horrific visions. I saw you, Ronnie. It felt so real. You helped me out of the elevator… but then you burnt up before my eyes… It was like losing you all over again." She said.

"My dear, might the fire in your hallucination be a representation of the part he played as Firestorm?" Martin's voice came from behind her, as he knelt down beside her to place some flowers on Ronnie's site. He made her jump, but she was relieved to see him visiting the grave.

"I apologize for the intrusion, Dr Snow. I haven't been feeling all the best so I felt it proper to come here and visit him." Martin explained.  
"No apologies necessary." Caitlin replied, "I'm just glad that people do come and visit him. You said that you haven't been feeling all that well?"

"I don't mean to be of any concern, but I feel that it might be a side effect from Ronald's passing. I feel as if I am getting…" Martin stopped midsentence and collapsed to the floor.  
"Martin!" Caitlin exclaimed. She knew that Barry had awoken from his coma that morning and that Cisco and Astrid had bombarded him with a series of questions. Which is why she had left in the first place. She sent out an SOS alert, and within an instant Barry had retrieved Martin and Caitlin, bringing them both back to STAR Labs.

Barry laid Martin out on the bed. "He mentioned that he hasn't been feeling all the best since Ronnie passed away… I think that this has something to do with the Firestorm Matrix!" Caitlin declared.

"I know exactly what is going on!" Barry exclaimed, "Cisco, I need you to look up the name Jefferson Jackson. Please, it's an emergency!"  
Cisco who seemed rather annoyed by the speedster at that point got right into action searching the Central City's database for the name that Barry had just given him.  
"I found him, Barry! He lives at…" before Cisco could give him the address, Barry had put on his red suit, disappeared and reappeared again, with a very surprised young man by the name of Jefferson Jackson.

"What the hell is going on here? Who are you people! Why did the Flash just kidnap me?" Jefferson asked shocked.  
"Look, I'll explain everything to you, but first I need you to attach this to your chest and take hold of this man's hand!" Barry said, in a rush, handing him the matrix which Ronnie once wore to his own chest.  
"er… No! I'm outta here!" Jefferson said as he went to leave.  
"Astrid? I know that the two of you are mad at me… but can you please help?" Barry pleaded.

Astrid shook her head and rolled her eyes angrily, "Whatever." But she approached Jefferson and put her hand on his shoulder, "Look, Jefferson, is it? that man over there is dying. And while we will explain everything to you afterwards, his life rests in your hands. So right now you have the choice to either suck it up and be a hero, or let a man die. So just humor us, Ok?"

Jefferson shrugged as he realized that he was defeated, "Okay… I'll do it. but the lot of you owe me one hell of an explanation!" he took the matrix from Barry and then took hold of Martin Stein's hand as instructed. Within an instant, Firestorm emerged, though in the physical form of Jefferson Jackson.  
"Wow, how is this happening?" Jefferson asked. Cisco and Astrid left the room, still very angry with Barry. Which left Caitlin, Barry and Martin to answer the young man's questions.  
"Now, Jefferson…" Barry began, "When my friend Astrid asked for you to be a hero… she meant it in the literal sense. What you are currently a part of is…"

"Yeah, Firestorm! I get it! this guy came to my school a few months ago to deliver a lecture… what I need to know is how is this happening to me? Why did you pick me?"  
Martin probed a similar to question to Jefferson, how did Barry know that Jefferson was the right person. Barry went quiet. Even Caitlin was wondering what he was hiding.  
Suddenly, Sara entered the room. "So that's Firestorm. I didn't realize that just anybody could fill Ronnie's shoes." She hadn't noticed until she saw the look on Caitlin's face that it was the wrong thing to say. "No, Caitlin. I didn't mean it that way, of course no one can fill Ronnie's place… I just meant…"  
"I get what you meant, Sara. It just hurt, that's all!"

Sara put her arm around Caitlin's shoulder and asked, "Where did Astrid and Cisco go?"  
"They're angry at me." Barry replied, "It's good to see you again, Sara. They told me that you were to thank for helping with our escape from Gotham City."  
"None of this is explaining why I am the right person for the job!" Jefferson snapped. His body was still alight.

"Actually, it's all related…" Barry said as he removed his mask, "…Caitlin, Martin… I've been keeping a secret from everyone. It turns out that my speed gives me the ability to go back through time… which I did, a couple of times. It actually changed the course of everything and that's how I knew that Jefferson was the right fit. Ronnie died in the other timeline, as did Cisco. Caitlin you were accused of Ronnie's murder… But then Eobard Thawne, who I was told is down in the pipeline, convinced me to go back and prevent my mother's death… which I did, but then that created an alternate timeline. It was chaotic! Astrid and Cisco were working for the lords of chaos… as was Oliver… and even you – Sara!"  
"I'm sorry… me?" Sara asked, "You and I have only just met! How is any of that possible?"

Martin and Jefferson unmerged, leading to Martin taking to the board with a marker, "it all makes sense… with the velocity from Barry's speed, it is very possible for him to quite literally run back through time, changing the course of events, and in doing so causing a flashpoint, if you will, bending the rules of time and space itself. My question is, Barry… what did you change? Considering your mother's death was not avoided..."

Barry sat down at Cisco's desk, "It turns out… Astrid should have died when she was ten years old… but apparently it wasn't the first time that I've done this… Apparently I did it in a different time line, when I was much older. But when she died this time… when she had sacrificed her own life for mine, there was a man who helped me put everything back the way it was… provided I went back through time and save her again…"

"…Wow…" Caitlin said sitting down beside him, "it's no wonder that Cisco and Astrid are angry with you… Why didn't you tell us, Barry?"  
"This man who helped me do it asked me to promise not to reveal any of this. He said something about my friends never having lived this time line…" Barry replied.  
"…That is entirely correct Barry. You never should have revealed any of this to any of us. It might be possible that in doing so, you may have once again altered time." Martin said.

"Well, if it wasn't for Cisco's visions and Astrid's ability to read his mind… I never would have told them."  
"I'd hate to break up this touchy-feely scene, but it seems that the boy Jefferson might have made his escape." Sara broke in.  
They looked up. Jefferson had indeed disappeared.


	2. Chapter 2

Barry had managed to retrieve a very angry Jefferson and return him back to STAR Labs. "I don't want to be a hero!" he yelled at the group. "I barely just graduated from high school, you guys need someone smart and brave… I'm not your guy!"

"Actually Jefferson, you are exactly what we need," Martin said, "your DNA make up, your physical strength and athletic ability is entirely what Firestorm requires."  
"Right, because you're the brains? Yeah, I'm still out!"

Sara approached Jefferson, "Look, I get it… I was young once too, but there are people out there who need Firestorm, and by the looks of it… Firestorm needs you."  
Jefferson seemed a little smitten by the girl, "Okay… I'll help."  
Barry scoffed, "it was that easy?"  
"When you got the looks, it is." Sara said with a laugh.

Suddenly the emergency alert sounded. Caitlin ran over to Cisco's computer. "Barry? There's a heist going down in an old warehouse! How do you feel…"  
"I feel great, Caitlin! Ready for work!" Barry said, and he was gone in a Flash.  
He returned, ten minutes later with two unlikely visitors strapped in cuffs, just as Cisco and Astrid had entered the office.

"What the hell are they doing here!" Astrid yelled.  
"They kidnapped us!" Cisco snapped.  
Barry had brought in Leonard Snart and Mick Rory.  
"They trapped me, now they know my secret and they need our help!" Barry replied.

"Barry, you're not helping your case. Didn't you want Cisco and Astrid to forgive you? You risking your identity and bringing in two people they despise, does not help your cause!" Caitlin added.  
"At least they're cuffed?" Barry joked, "That's beside the point... You guys, I need you all to listen… in the alternate world Captain Cold and Heatwave came through, they helped us… just as they need our help now."  
"Heh heh… Such cool names… but still… What?" Cisco asked baffled.

Barry forced the two crooks to sit. "Speak!" he ordered them, as he handed Cisco, their weapons.  
"Oh my babies, welcome home to papa!" Cisco said to the guns, as he went to lock them away.  
"We're not dogs, you know!" Mick spat at Barry.

"Mick… if we're going to get them to help us, might I suggest that we play nice?" Leonard asked his partner. Mick grumbled in response.  
"Wow, Sutherland… it seems your group has grown a little." Leonard said to Astrid.  
"Just tell us what you want, or we'll offer you the same hospitality that you offered Cisco and I when you took us hostage." She snapped at him.  
"Snart…" Barry began, "It's not wise to make her mad… she's moments away from frying your brain, as we speak."  
"You better listen to Barry… he would know." Astrid said directing her glare at Barry.

"Okay," Snart began, "do you remember when you and I took a little field trip to Mercury Labs and we tangoed a little?" Leonard asked her.  
"Tangoed?" Cisco asked with a smile.  
"Spit it out, Snart!" Astrid snapped.

"I'm surprised that you don't just read my mind and get it out of me yourself. But anyway, I might have taken something that was worth a whole lot of money… and sold it to a very wealthy buyer." Snart explained.  
"Sutherland, you went pick pocketing with a criminal?" Sara joked, "You haven't changed one bit, since high school!" Astrid raised her eyebrows at her friend in disbelief.  
"Why would you care? You got the money! What do you need our help for?" Barry asked him.  
"Well, that's what I thought at first… a little ignorance is bliss, if you will. But that was before I realized what this small piece of jewelry could do. So I tried to steal it back… A thief's gotta thief, right?"  
"You want us to help you steal it back?" Barry asked, trying to find his agenda.

Astrid was growing tired of Snart's procrastination, she read his mind. "Barry… I think that for now, you're off the hook. This necklace is dangerous. We're going to get it back…" she said directing her glare back at Snart.  
"No! Why would we help the villains?" Jefferson said, "Aren't we supposed to be the good guys?"  
"Hey, when did you change your mind about joining us?" Cisco asked him.

"When Sara spoke to him, batting her eyelashes!" Caitlin added with a laugh.  
"I should have known…" Cisco replied.  
"Jefferson, while we generally don't help the bad guys at will… I believe that Astrid might have another agenda about what to do with the necklace when we find it." Martin explained.

"Martin's right! I do… we either destroy it, or lock it away… Professor Stein, do you remember what you said about it last time? Something about the totem being able to absorb the powers of the animal kingdom? That's the one we're talking about… that thing, in the wrong hands… Could be really bad!" Astrid said.  
"Yes, miss Sutherland. I will go and gather my research now!" Martin said as he left to do so.  
"So you'll work with us?" Leonard asked.  
"I wouldn't say working with…" Astrid said.  
"Using you for what you know, sounds a little more fitting," Sara finished.


	3. Chapter 3

As Barry read through Martin's research, and some collaborative information that had been sent over by a very helpful DR McGee at Mercury Labs, Astrid approached him. "So what do we know?" she asked.  
"Myth has it that the totem was created by an African God by the name of Anasi, for a warrior named Tantu to protect their people. Though, there are no actual events indicating that it actually has powers." Barry replied.

"So, whoever Snart sold it to must have gotten it to work." Astrid said, staring in the direction of the two thieves, who were still cuffed to their chairs.  
"The question is, who did they sell it to?" Barry asked, knowing where she was going with her statement.  
They approached Leonard and Mick who were being guarded by Sara.  
"Who did you sell it to?" Barry asked them.

"We will cooperate with you, if you untie us first." Leonard said.  
"We're giving you the chance to come clean..." Astrid said, "You can either tell us… or I will get it out of you, myself."  
"Fine!" Leonard replied, "She claimed to be the totem's rightful owner! Some woman by the name Kacey? No, that wasn't it…"  
"Kuasa! She never gave us a last name!" Mick finished, as Astrid threatened them with a look "She was in Detroit, she tried to hire us as hitmen to kill her sister after we sold her the totem!"

"Mick. Way to make them work for it!" Snart snapped at his partner.  
"I don't trust the heiress!" Mick said referring to Astrid. "Her power is just scary!"  
Astrid tried to hold back a laugh. "We have a first name and we have a place… Keep going. What's her sisters name and why would she want her dead?"  
"If you must know…" Snart explained, "the sister is some young girl by the name of Mari McCabe. She lives with her adopted family. She never gave us a reason as to why she wants her dead, but my guess is sibling rivalry? But we refused to kill the girl, we don't murder unless it's entirely necessary… Do we Mick?"

"That's good to hear... Cisco. Did you get that name?" she asked.  
"I'm on it! Mari McCabe… Hmm, she's pretty. I have an address right here… We also have a room full of heroes, who are we sending?" Cisco asked excitedly.  
"I wouldn't mind getting out of the office for a little while." Caitlin volunteered.

"Yeah? That sounds like a good idea. Besides, maybe sending the guys in might intimidate her, so I'll go with you." Astrid said to Caitlin.  
"If you girls are going, I'm going!" Sara replied, "I'm aching for some action... And if I have to stay here another minute with these guys… I'll probably go insane!"  
"So what? You want us to just stay here?" Barry asked them.  
"Actually, Bar…We will need a lift… But then you and the guys can stay here and keep an eye on Captain Cold and Heatwave over there." Astrid said.

"Really, babysitting duties?" Jefferson asked, "I thought we were meant to be heroes!"  
"It wouldn't be wise sending the rookie in, so soon." Cisco added, a little annoyed that he was being made to stay back too. "I'll gather the equipment."

"So are you sure that you girls will be fine in Detroit?" Cisco asked as he handed them their communicator devices, "From what I've heard… that place is gang territory."  
"Don't worry, Cisco," Sara replied, "I'll look after your girlfriend."  
Astrid and Cisco both stared at Sara, annoyed at her remark. Though Sara shrugged it off. Fortunately, no one had picked up on her comment.  
"We'll be fine…" Caitlin replied, "We're far from defenseless."

"Well excuse me for worrying… The last time we went somewhere we lost people." He argued.  
"We lost one person!" Astrid replied, "I only faked my own death, remember? At least if something happens… Barry will be there to save the day… Besides – you guys are looking after two master thieves, who have escaped multiple times… and… once again so it seems…" she added noticing the two now empty chairs. "Don't let them take anything… please!"

"They shouldn't have gotten far!" Barry said. He took the girls over to Detroit and returned to help locate the two missing criminals.  
Barry found the two fugitives in the stairwell. At some point they had stolen back their guns and were making their getaway.  
Once again, Barry confiscated their weapons and cuffed him to the chairs.  
"See… this is why she gave us the baby sitting duty!" Barry said to Jefferson.  
"They're quick!" he remarked.

"Yeah, most criminals are… Fortunately, these guys aren't metas… just thieves with big guns!" Barry replied.  
"Metas?" Jefferson asked.  
"People with superhuman abilities."  
"Like you?" Jefferson asked.  
"Yeah, like me."

"Man, I still can't believe that you can travel back through time. That's some trippy science fiction stuff right there!"  
"And it's not an action that I would suggest that Barry should repeat!" Martin added in. "Jefferson, I understand that you know the concepts of Firestorm, but just understanding the basics are not what are needed to be a hero. Might I suggest a few lessons in training before we take you out on to the field?"  
"Really? Lessons? There was a reason that I chose not to go to college…"

"You should listen to him, man! It will keep you safe!" Cisco added as he walked over to the group, who were standing guard by Leonard and Mick. "The guy knows what he's talking about… Why do you think Martin needed to find a replacement in the first place?"  
"Oh right… that guy died didn't he?" Jefferson asked.  
"Are you sure that this is the right guy to replace Ronnie?" Cisco asked, a little annoyed, "Are you sure there was nobody else?"  
Barry shrugged. "Not that I'm aware of."


	4. Chapter 4

"So, are we sure this is the right street?" Caitlin asked.  
"I have the address right here…" Astrid said glancing down at the messily scribbled address that Cisco had written.  
"Shh," Sara said. "Do you hear that?"

Astrid focused her senses and her mind scan. "Come on!" She said to her friends and ran ahead of them.  
She ran towards an alleyway where she saw three men harassing a young woman. Sara reached her first and let out a loud and almighty Canary cry in their direction. It attracted their attention. "Who are these girls?" one of the men asked, "The Charlie's Angels?"

Within moments, Frost had emerged and she assisted Sara and Astrid in knocking the men to the ground. Where they laid unconscious.  
"Are you okay?" Astrid asked the girl, that they had just helped.  
"Wow. How did you do that?" the girl asked, relieved to be safe.  
"What can I say? It's a knack!" Sara said with a cocky smile.

As Caitlin reemerged, Astrid asked if the girl knew someone by the name of Mari McCabe.  
"Sure, she lives two houses down with her foster father." The girl told them.  
"Thanks, will you be okay getting home?" Caitlin asked. "This street doesn't seem very safe."  
"I only live up the road. I'll be fine." The girl said and she ran to the direction of her house.

As Caitlin ran up ahead, Sara and Astrid stayed back.  
"So, I've been patient…" Sara began, "how long have you and Cisco been dating…"  
"Really, Sara?" Astrid asked, "Now? while we're here on a mission?"  
"You and I haven't bonded since we were 17 and clearly a lots changed… you're not pining over Oliver anymore, for one thing."  
"Sara… mission first, girl talk later." Astrid said.

"So, what's he like in bed?" Sara asked, enjoying the moment.  
"So… Now would probably be the best time for me to tell you girls, that I just turned on the commlink to check on your progress… I timed that pretty well, didn't I?" Cisco's voice carried out through their communicators.  
"Mission First, Sara!" Astrid snapped.  
"You guys… This is the house!" Caitlin said as she stood at an old wooden door and knocked.  
The girls waited silently until the door opened.

"Hey Barry, does Iris know that you're awake from your coma?" Cisco asked as he stood facing his computer.  
He had turned the commlink back off after he had heard the girls arrive at the house. He was relieved that only he had been able to hear their conversation, as Jefferson and Martin were downstairs training, and Barry had left to keep an eye on their hostages.

"I guess she might, I mean… I told Joe, so there's a chance that she knows…" Barry replied, unaware of where Cisco was leading the conversation  
"Well, I'm guessing that she does know… She's on her way up here and she wants to be buzzed up… I think we need to do something about our little hostage situation right about… Now!" Just as Cisco said the words, Barry hid Leonard and Mick in an empty office, packed away all remnants of the Flash, and then sat in the chair next to Cisco.  
"You're still in your suit…" Cisco reminded him, so he changed into his regular clothes and fixed his hair too. Just in time for Iris to walk in.  
"Oh, Barry! I'm so glad that you're alive!" she announced on her entrance. She gave Barry a hug.  
"Thanks!" he said, blushing.

"I know that you and I haven't really spoken, well since…" she looked over at Cisco, who was waiting to hear what she had to say. "Can you give us a moment?" she asked him.  
"All right… I'm going… Sheesh… get kicked outta my own office… an office is for working not for…" Cisco complained as he left to give them some peace, he headed towards the office that had Snart and Mick inside and closed the door behind him.

Barry gave a slight laugh at his friend's complaint and then focused his attention on Iris, "You were saying…?"  
"Yeah, I was saying that… I've missed you Bar… I'm glad that you're okay… and while you've been away… and then in your coma… I managed to pick up a job with the Picture News! Right now, I'm just the coffee girl… but it won't be long… They picked me because of my blogs on the Flash!"  
"Wow! That's great, Iris!" Barry said, truly happy for her. He had hoped that she had come to tell him that she had changed her mind about how she felt about him, but unfortunately, she hadn't.

"So what are you guys doing in here? Where's Astrid and Caitlin?" she asked, looking around at the empty office.  
"They're out for the day… Astrid felt that Caitlin needed a little R&R after Ronnie's death." Barry said, hoping that she would leave soon and wouldn't find the criminals tied up.  
"Okay, well… That makes sense, I suppose. Well, I should probably just get going then. We should do coffee later!" Iris turned to leave, and Barry let out a sigh of relief.  
She turned back to him and he waved her away, just in time for the emergency alert to sound on Cisco's computer.

As Barry was distracted by the computer, he didn't notice as Iris opened the door to the office that Snart, Rory and Cisco were in.  
"Er… Barry?" she called out. Barry's eyes opened wide as he realized what she had just done, and he ran over to her. Cisco had a look of surprise on his face. Neither one of them were expecting Iris to find out just whom they had hidden.  
"Barry? What's going on here?" she asked, looking at the gagged and tied criminals and then back at Barry, waiting for his explanation.

"So, you mean to tell me that I'm being hunted by some long-lost sister that I've never even met?" Mari McCabe asked the girls after she had invited them in and listened to their story.  
"Yeah, that's pretty much it." Sara replied.  
"It's all because of some sort of magical totem." Caitlin added.  
"Right, I think that this is where I show you girls the door." Mari replied in disbelief.  
"Look, I understand that this is a lot to swallow… but we can prove it to you." Astrid said.  
"Prove it? How?" Mari asked.

"I can read minds." Astrid said.  
Mari laughed, "Yeah right! So what am I thinking right now?"  
Astrid sighed, "that if we're telling the truth… that you must be the president…" she replied.  
"That was an easy one… now what am I thinking?"

Astrid sighed again, she was getting a little annoyed, "Look, I'm not here to entertain you with party tricks. You have spent your whole life wondering why you were adopted, why your parents would have given you up… But I can see your memories… You come from Africa, in a small village by the name of Zambesi. Your mother… your real mother… gave you a special totem that was meant to protect you… though you lost it when you were younger, since then it was collected up and eventually ended up at Mercury Labs… That's where we found out about it. it was stolen and sold to your sister… who wants you dead!"  
Mari stared at Astrid, "How do you know all of that?"

"The same reason I know that we're not alone right now!" Astrid snapped. "You need to hide!"  
All of a sudden, they heard a loud commotion outside of Mari's room. Doors were being kicked in, glass was being smashed and they were searching for the girl. Mari was frightened.

"Get under the bed!" Sara snapped, as she, Frost and Astrid stood at the door preparing for who was to come through the door.  
Mari hid under the bed, just as the door opened.


	5. Chapter 5

"Yeah… I can explain this…" Barry said, trying to will a story to come.  
"I promise you, this isn't a hostage situation!" Cisco snapped into action.  
"No? well then, what is it?" Iris asked him, expectantly.

"Do you know who these guys are?" Cisco asked, "They are two very dangerous criminals… we caught them snooping around in here and Barry and I did some very quick thinking… we set up traps! They worked and then Barry… he used his wiley skills and caught them both, cuffing them before they could steal anything… We were actually just moments away from calling CCPD – namely your father, before you walked in…"  
"Barry did this? Right after he woke up from his coma?"  
"Cisco helped…" Barry added, "…he got the cuffs."

"…Yeah! Hey that kid from Home Alone was able to do it… we trapped them pretty good!" Cisco said.  
"…Right…" Iris said, disbelievingly. "Look, whatever! I was just on my way out… Barry, you should probably call my dad to apprehend these guys."  
"Yeah... I'll do that," Barry said to Iris, as he ensured that Iris had actually left, before he turned back to Cisco, "…I'm not sure if she believes us or not… but that wasn't half bad."  
"Yeah, You're welcome man... I tried to brag about you a little, there… the amount of times I had to cover for Astrid with her father… I think it paid off!" Cisco said, pleased with himself.  
"I'm just glad it worked… I'll call Joe." Barry left to find his phone.

Suddenly, Cisco remembered something very important that he was certain would have slipped Astrid's mind. He followed after Barry, "So, correct me if I'm wrong but isn't today the first of the month?"  
"Er… That's what Caitlin said this morning," Barry replied.  
Cisco rubbed his face with his hands, frustrated… "Astrid is supposed to have a very important board meeting today, and I really don't think that she is going to be back in time. I'm going to have to cover for her. Can you watch our hostages? I have to find all her notes address this board and come up with a suitable excuse for her… man, that girl owes me big time for this one!"

"Yeah, Go!" Barry told him.  
"What excuse should I come up with? the flu? Food poisoning… ah crap! I'll think of something on the way! Have fun babysitting!" Cisco left the room, full of nerves ready to address the board.

As Frost and Sara picked off the last of the hitmen, in the room, Sara looked around. "Where'd the girl go?"  
"Didn't she hide under the bed?" Frost asked.  
"If she was under the bed, I wouldn't have asked." Sara answered.

Sure enough, Mari had disappeared through the open window in the bedroom.  
As Astrid reentered the room, she showed them a phone that she had collected from one of the men. "Hey, look what I found…An instant link to the boss! It seems that they just spoke to a Kuasa before they got here."

"Very useful… if we can hack it… Unfortunately, you left your boyfriend back at STAR labs." Sara said.  
"Really? You and Cisco?" Frost asked, "It's about damn time!"  
Astrid shook her head deflecting the attention, "Where's Mari?"  
"She escaped!" Sara said.

"Frost… can you call for Barry to collect this phone? Get Cisco to track where Kuasa was last, when she rang… Sara… let's go find this girl!" Astrid said as she gave Frost the phone and left the house with Sara in toe.  
As Sara ran up ahead outside, Astrid scanned the streets. "Sara… she went that way!" she called out pointing to the right. Sara ran as fast as she could, disappearing from Astrid's line of sight.

But what was odd, is that Astrid could sense Mari's thoughts only moments away. Sara would have clearly known Mari's location... but she had run off anyway. Astrid found the girl with her face buried into her lap, crying.  
"It's okay." Astrid said trying to comfort her.

"It's not okay. I'm not even safe in my own home. My father will be home soon… What if those men come back?" Mari asked between sobs.  
"Don't worry, my friends and I can protect you. I promise. But we need to find this totem and get it back. These guys wont stop coming until we stop them... But to do so, we're going to need your help!"  
"Okay, tell me what I need to do!"

Cisco stood frozen before the men and women of the board. His mouth gaped open. He looked at Astrid's prepared notes before him. "Man, I hate public speaking." He said under his breath.  
All eyes were on him. They were getting frustrated. "Where's Miss Sutherland?" One of the men asked.

"I'm certain that this meeting covers all of STAR Labs business… not just technology, so why is Mr Ramon running the show?" another man asked.  
"um…er… that's right!" Cisco said, "Miss Sutherland had to go home sick this morning… something intestinal, she asked me to cover for her…"  
The room grew into a frenzy, making Cisco all the more nervous. But one man who was roughly the same age, and was sitting right next to Cisco, stood up and addressed the room, "Hey… Can we give the guy a chance! He's clearly not a public speaker… But I'm not either… And I'm still the head CEO of my own corporation and a dozen franchises."

The room fell silent. "Hey, thanks…" Cisco said looking at the man's name plaque, "...Ray Palmer…" Cisco shook Ray's hand.  
"You're welcome," Ray said as he sat back down. Unfortunately, his arm knocked Cisco's glass over, spilling water all over the notes.  
"Ah crap…" Ray said as they both grabbed some serviettes and began mopping up the mess.  
The rest of the room looked at the two of them as if they were wasting their time being there.

With Cisco having gone to the board meeting, and Barry being called away to collect something from Detroit, Leonard and Mick used this time to break free from their cuffs again. A sigh of relief washed over them as they cracked open Cisco's vault.  
"Hmm… Mick, how did we not see this earlier?" Leonard asked as he pulled out something extra along with their weapons. He held up Cobalt blue's talisman. "I'll be keeping this for later! I believe it might come in handy."

"Can we just set fire to this place and get the hell out of here?" Mick asked, cradling his weapon as if it were his prized possession.  
"Mick… What did I say? No fire…" Leonard snapped at him. He pocketed the talisman and led his partner in crime, towards the elevator.  
As the doors opened, they were surprised to see Martin and Jefferson standing before them.  
"Stand down, old man!" Leonard Snapped as he held his weapon aimed at them both.

Martin placed his hand on Jefferson's shoulder, "Here's your chance to take Firestorm for a test run, Jefferson…" he said. Within moments, Firestorm stood before Leonard and Mick.  
"That is so beautiful!" Mick said, a tear in his eye.  
"It's a shame that you're about to go down… Burning man!" Leonard said, as he shot ice at Firestorm.


	6. Chapter 6

"You mean that you left those thieves alone for a second?" Frost snapped at Barry. "I guess that I'm coming with you back to STAR Labs then!"  
Frost and Barry arrived back at the facility to find the office in a total disarray. A whirlwind of fire and ice. Frost readily got into the fight, flinging an ice blast at Mick Rory.

"Now this is going to be fun!" Mick said as he shot fire in her direction. Frost met his flame with another ice blast.  
The battle seemed to go on forever. Barry knew that him stepping in front would be suicide. He looked over at Captain Cold tackling with Firestorm. Both battles were match for match, fire and ice. He had seen this in the past. "Frost, Firestorm. You need to keep it up, counteract their fire power!" He instructed.

"You look like that doctor Caitlin!" Mick said.  
"That's because we share the same body." Frost called out.  
"That's kinda hot!" Mick said.  
"Ew… your repulsive!" Frost snapped back.

Then it worked! The battles of fire and ice counteracted each other out. It caused an explosion that impacted the entire floor. Equipment fell to the floor, breaking on impact. Cisco's computer screen fell onto the floor, papers fell from the desks and even a shelf tipped over. Barry restrained Leonard and Mick, this time not only cuffing them, but also roping their chairs together in place.

Suddenly, Cisco entered the floor with his new friend. Shock painted their faces.  
"What? What happened here?" Cisco demanded, tears welling up in his eyes as he noticed the state of his computer. "Oh baby! What did they do to you?" he asked as he picked up the smashed monitor and tried to fix it back onto his desk. He directed his anger at Barry, who approached him in an attempt to comfort him.

"Barry! I leave you with those two criminals for thirty minutes… thirty minutes and … it looks like World War III has gone off in here… Astrid is going to kill us! Frost… You should know better! Wait, what is she doing here? Astrid isn't back yet, is she?" in his fit of fury, Cisco had forgotten that he had invited his new friend Ray Palmer up.  
"Maybe I should go, Cisco…" Ray said, ready to take his leave.

"No, I invited you up here for a reason… it was to help you with your suit… and now you have just been exposed to… everything else that goes on up here…" Cisco's voice faltered as he slumped in his chair, grieving over his computer, just as the monitor fell back on to the floor.  
"Cisco, I'm sorry." Barry began, "When Frost sent me an alert, I had to go… I swear, I left these two alone for ten minute's tops!"  
"Look, man… I'm not mad about that… you had to do your job…" Cisco sighed, "Barry… can you get this place cleaned up?" Within a heartbeat, the place was cleaned again, despite the broken equipment and Cisco's broken computer.

Caitlin who had now taken over her own body again, approached Cisco. "We're sorry, Cisco."  
He looked at her angrily, "So much for us having the easy job of babysitting, right?"

Suddenly, his phone rang from in his pocket, he pulled it out and checked the caller. "It's Astrid." He stood up to answer it, putting up his hand to ensure silence from the group.  
"Hey, girl… Why didn't I answer sooner? I was in a board meeting… So, it turned out you forgot that it was the first of the month which meant I had to cover for you… How are the criminals? Pfft! Of course they're still tied up… Come on, you left us in charge, would I ever do you wrong? Besides, that time… and that time… and that time… uh huh… Really? Uh Crap! You need me to track the phone? What phone?" Cisco turned to Caitlin to look at the phone that she was holding up, and then continued with his phone call "…oh yeah, that phone… of course Cisco's on it! You need Barry to come get you? Now? Okay, bye Baby." As he ended the call he realized that he had just given up their secret.

Barry wore a dopey grin on his face, happy that his friends were finally together. Cisco stared at him a little calmer now, "Astrid needs you to go and get her and Mari, Sara's disappeared and somehow we need to track a phone with minimal software… and explain the broken equipment to Astrid. This is going to suck!"  
"For what it's worth, Cisco…" Barry began, "I'm happy for the both of you."  
"Yeah, well… that happiness will be short lived when she finds out about all the broken stuff. She will most definitely kill us, this time."  
As Barry left to get Astrid and Mari, Ray looked over at Cisco, "I thought you said that miss Sutherland was home sick today…" he said, grasping all the attention in the room.

When Barry and Astrid returned with the very nervous Mari. She introduced the girl to the team. But as Astrid took a look at their surroundings, she knew that things were out of place.  
"Cisco… What happened here?" she asked him, as Caitlin and Martin spoke with Mari.  
Cisco didn't respond, he was too busy trying to repair his computer.

"Cisco… what happened to your computer and why is Palmer Technologies CEO Ray in here, and why haven't you started tracing the phone?" she asked again and everyone's eyes were on her, wondering what excuse Cisco would come up with.  
"Heh heh… I think you're in trouble, nerd!" Mick Rory said from his tied up position in the middle of the room.

Cisco stopped working and looked at her trying to think up something that would sound heroic, but he couldn't think of anything that would save his ass.  
"Astrid, it's not Cisco's fault!" Barry began. She turned to him. "What's not his fault?"

All of a sudden, the entire room came to Cisco's rescue explaining the epic battle that had taken place there, consisting of fire and ice.  
"Okay… Well, at least they're tied up again… Cisco, what's wrong with you using my computer? Remember the upgrades you applied to it a few months back?... but before you go… I need to know… why is Ray here? You do realize he now knows all of our secrets!" Astrid asked him, looking over at the man who was sitting right next to Cisco.

"That, I can explain!" Cisco said optimistically, "…you see when I had to cover for you at your board meeting… you're sick by the way… it went horribly wrong! But then I met this guy… I can't believe that you have been hiding him all this time! Anyway, we both got talking over some suit that he has been building… and you know me… when it comes to tech…"  
"…Cisco? Spit it out!"

"…I want to help him with his suit! In exchange for him helping us with not just this totem case, but also lots of other cases! He wants to be a hero too!"  
Ray stood to his feet, knocking a box of Cisco's tools to the floor, making a loud clatter.  
"Really? This guy?" Astrid asked.

"I'm really sorry about that!" Ray said, picking up the tools that had spilt all over the floor.  
Astrid picked up the phone from Cisco's desk and opened up the details to Kuasa's last phone call, that she needed traced. She handed the phone to Cisco "…Just trace this phone call for me, please, Cisco." She said, not even bothering to argue.

Before Cisco could take the phone from her hand, Ray took it, "That's easy to trace!" he said.  
He held out some sort of gadget and scanned it over the phone's screen, instantly an address came up, "We have the location." Ray said with a grin


	7. Chapter 7

"Ra's al Ghul is hunting you! He's offering a lot of money for your capture, Canary!" One man threatened Sara, in Detroit. He was accompanied by three other assassins.  
"Naww, are you saying that daddy changed his mind after selling me out to the Falcones… after he made me kill Nyssa?" Sara mocked him, with a smile.  
"Don't question his motive, Sara! The only reason I'm not killing you where you stand, is because the bounty is so high if you're brought in alive!"

Sara laughed, "The only reason you're not killing me where I stand is because you know that you can't take me on. None of you can… Let me prove it!" She brought up her sword and fought all three of them, injuring them, though leaving them alive.  
"Send Ra's al Ghul a message!" She spat, "… Tell him that his pretty little bird has flown the nest and that she won't be returning!"

As Sara left the men crippled in the alleyway, she heard a word spoken by another group of thugs. The word being 'Kuasa'. Without being noticed, she followed the men to their boss's hideout.

"So, I ran a search for Kuasa's lair… Man, that girl has a lot of followers... and I'm not just talking about on social media! But these guys think of her as some sort of goddess!" Cisco said as he brought Astrid's laptop over to the group.  
"What are you saying?" Barry asked.

"I'm saying that there's no way in hell are we sending in the girls alone… It's suicide! I mean this woman has so many minions who are devoted to protecting her… We're probably going to need an army!" Cisco explained.  
"I could have told you that!" Leonard said from his seat.  
"Well… Why didn't you?" Astrid asked. Snart shrugged.

"You wanted to lead us into a trap, didn't you?" she snapped at him. After the destruction that he and Mick had caused to STAR Labs, he was making her blood boil.  
"That's it! I've been patient with you and you just keep proving to us why you shouldn't be trusted!" She snapped. She grabbed him by the shoulders, shaking him and glared into his eyes. She read his mind to retrieve every little piece of information that he knew in relation to Kuasa, the totem and her hideout.

He shrugged his shoulders, trying to shake her hands off him and he even cursed at her, to no avail. As she read his mind, she received an overflow of thoughts, memories and emotions. She had seen his entire life in the blink of an eye. The pain, the happiness, the fear and anger, she had seen it all. Up until that current moment.  
The wave of emotions that this man was hiding engulfed her. She removed her hands from his shoulders and stared at him.

"Why didn't you tell us this, earlier?" she asked him, her tone softened.  
"You read my mind… you know why I didn't!" Snart said angrily.  
"Well, it seems that we have no choice but to bring the two of you with us!" she said, annoyed, "But remember… if you screw us over again, you will pay for it… and she will get hurt!"

Snart nodded in agreement. For the first time in a long time, it was a sincere agreement.  
"Wait, what just happened there? How are they coming with us?" Jefferson asked angrily.  
"Jefferson… It's called leverage! And right now, it's our best shot!" Astrid replied, "Hey, Ray… How's your suit going? Do you think it's ready for combat?"

Ray smiled. "It sure is, miss Sutherland. I'm so glad that you're finally giving me this opportunity… I promise that you won't be disappointed."  
"I hope not, because we are going to need all the help we can get. Mari, how are you feeling about all of this?" Astrid directed her gaze at the newest recruit.  
"I don't know… I can't fight, if that's what you're hoping." Mari said quietly.

"No, I need you to try to appeal to Kuasa, as her sister. But don't worry, if it doesn't work, you will have all of us here to protect you. We will keep you safe. I promise!"  
As Ray went over his suit with Cisco, Martin and Caitlin gave Jefferson and Mari a pep talk ready for the battle to come.

Barry approached Astrid and pulled her aside. "You saw something when you read Snart's mind didn't you? What did you see? What's stopping him from betraying us?"  
"I saw what makes him the criminal he is… Lisa is one of Kuasa's followers..." she said under her breath.  
"Lisa as in Snart's sister? Didn't Cisco date her? Or was that just the other reality?" Barry asked, confused.

"It was this reality… maybe both? This whole alternate timeline thing is so confusing… But for everything that Snart has done to protect her… she turned her back on him. He hoped that trapping us would win back her favor. This thing is like one big cult! Man, Cisco is going to be pissed when he sees her!"  
"Yeah… and I'm guessing it will be a little awkward on you too… Considering you and he are…" Barry said with a grin.  
"…Shut up, Barry! Let's just get to work!"

Barry brought the group one by one to the city of Detroit, where they stood at a vast stretch of land overlooking the large river. It was night time, and the moon glistened over the dark ripples in the water. On the other side of the bank, stood Kuasa's organization.  
"Ya know, despite its crime rate… it's still a beautiful city!" Cisco announced.  
"Oh wow… I just remembered that you were born here," Astrid said, smiling at him.

"Yeah, sometimes I forget too… It's just been a long time since I've been here. It's hard to think that I ever saw it as home…" he said as he took her hand.  
"This was once Ronnie's home too, actually." Caitlin said. Though her tone wasn't filled with sadness, but a sense of appreciation in seeing the beauty in the moonlit river.  
"It is a very beautiful town." Mari agreed as she glanced over at the city's lights, towards the direction of her home.

Barry arrived after a few moments, handing them each a cloak that he had seen Kuasa's followers wearing. "Everyone's in place, Astrid. They're just waiting on you to give the go ahead, are you sure you guys want to do it this? If you get caught…" he said.  
"…We have to try. At least we will have you guys as our reinforcements, and our comms in place... And Barry, if all else fails… I need you to get Mari out the way as soon as possible… We'll keep in contact."

Barry nodded and left in his red suit to the place where he had left Captain Cold and Heatwave.  
They were all prepared to launch their attack on Kuasa's base and retrieve the totem.


	8. Chapter 8

Kuasa sat in the center of her people, on her throne like an African goddess, with the Anansi totem strapped to her neck. Set outside in the middle of a vacant field, surrounded by tents. A large bon fire stood before her. One of her followers bowed down before her feet, humbly.  
"Your majesty, it seems that there were some complications with the capture of your sister!" the girl said.

Astrid, Mari, Cisco and Caitlin who were gathered in the near vicinity, disguised in the cloaks, overheard this conversation, but remained silent. They could not see the girl's face as the cloak hid her identity. They were waiting for the right moment to strike.  
"What complications do you speak of?" Kuasa asked.

"Well, when the men you sent out to kill your sister did not return… we sent out another group. They managed to bring out the foster father of Mari, along with some news."  
"Don't keep me guessing. What news?" Kuasa answered angrily.  
"The hitmen were defeated, left unconscious and Mari disappeared. They believe that she had help from some outsiders."  
"Well, we will track down those outsiders… You mentioned that you had Mr McCabe? Bring him forth!" The girl nodded to a group over in the distance. They brought forth a man;   
Mari's foster father, and threw him to the floor in front of Kuasa.

"That's my father!" Mari whispered to her friends in a panic.  
Astrid sent calming thoughts to the girl's mind, to keep her from running out in an attempt to save her father.  
"I know that girl's voice." Cisco said in a whisper, trying to place the voice of the follower in his mind. He looked at Astrid as he realized just who it was. "That's Snart's psychotic sister… You knew she'd be here, and you didn't tell me?" Caitlin placed her finger to her lips, asking them to keep quiet.

She had noticed a silhouette taking out followers, she nudged Astrid's arm, getting her to look in the direction. Astrid used her mind scan. The silhouette was Sara Lance. She was about to shut off her mind scan when she realized something odd about the girl's train of thought.  
The persona that Sara had been presenting to all of them was just a façade. In her mind, she was someone entirely different. A mere weapon to be wielded. The essence of Sara Lance seemed to be lost. Astrid feared this new person who claimed to be her childhood friend.

Then as if Sara had picked up on Astrid's mind scan, she looked in their direction. She turned her head away, and continued to take out more followers. As Astrid and Caitlin's attention had been on Sara, Mari had run out to Kuasa, in an attempt to rescue her father.  
Cisco had tried to pull her back, with no luck.

"Dear Sister!" Kuasa said, looking down at Mari. "At last, we meet… again…"  
"Leave my father alone!" Mari yelled.  
Astrid immediately read Kuasa's thoughts and knew that there was no reasoning with the woman. "Barry…" she whispered into her comm, "…Send in our reinforcements… and be careful, Sara's here!"

"Alright, the cavalry's on its way!" came Barry's reply.  
As Barry led Captain Cold and Heatwave out to the field, he noticed that at some point the two of them had stolen back their weapons. "Hey… When did you guys take them back?" Barry asked, gesturing at the guns.

Captain Cold shook his head. "You don't learn, do you? We're good at our jobs! But relax, we're not going to kill anyone… Not while my sister's here, anyway."  
Barry shook his head in defeat, "Alright. I hope I have your word… Or you know… my friend will most probably destroy your mind…" he joked. But Mick and Leonard both felt intimidated by the thought. They ran to join the fight, leaving Barry with a large smile on his face.

Barry ran through to the center of the field, where he found Mari being held hostage. His friends had not yet removed their cloaks and time seemed to have stood still. All except for Kuasa. She leapt towards him, knocking him back.  
"What the hell?" Barry exclaimed.

"This totem allows me to channel the speed and agility of the animal kingdom… You're no match for me!" she said with a smirk.  
Barry felt as if he had imagined a thousand rhinos standing behind her, as she ran towards him, knocking him over as if he were caught in a stampede.  
Once again, time began to speed up all around them again. All around him, there was a flurry of fighting. His friends against an overwhelming wave of followers, who to their frustration, also included meta-humans with their own fantastic abilities.

He saw Astrid making her way towards the man who had hold of Mari. Caitlin had become Frost and was fighting two foes, along with Firestorm. Even Cisco was in combat…With Lisa Snart! He was using his powers that Barry had witnessed him using in the alternate time line, flinging projectiles of energy all around them. While Lisa shot blasts of gold from her pistol.

Barry could also see Sara Lance fighting admirably. The girl was surely skilled in battle.  
"Barry! You need to get up!" Barry could hear Ray Palmer's voice, but he couldn't see him anywhere.  
"Barry… Kuasa is about to come back! You need to move!" Once again he could hear Ray's voice, but couldn't see him.  
"Ray, where are you?" Barry asked.

"Down here!" Ray shouted, Barry looked down at his hand, where sure enough, Ray was standing … Ray was in his suit and came to the size of Barry's thumb.  
"Your suit?" Barry asked him.  
"My suit!" Ray said with a smile, "…Now get up… before we both get crushed!"


	9. Chapter 9

Barry lifted Ray and leapt to his feet just as Kuasa attempted a second stampede. He ran out of the way, which led to Kuasa knocking a group of her own followers out of the way.  
"Well, I guess that helps the others!" Ray joked from on Barry's shoulder.  
"Ray, can you somehow retrieve her totem?" Barry asked, "I don't think she has seen you yet… it might be our best shot."  
"Let me get this straight, you're asking me to jump up in the middle of a stampede?" Ray asked.  
"Yeah, that's entirely what I'm asking of you…" Barry confirmed.

"Good… I just wanted to be sure, alright… here goes nothing!" Ray said as Kuasa had turned to their direction and was making her way towards them, with once again, another stampede. Behind Barry their friends were still fighting.  
As Kuasa ran towards them, Ray jumped from Barry's shoulder and into the air towards her. Barry was right, she hadn't seen him, yet.  
Ray's arms were stretched before him and he called out "Geronimo!" As he began to fall in front of her. He had miscalculated his leap and began falling in front of the stampede that she was causing.

Astrid managed to manipulate the followers to unhand Mari and her father, but with the battle still going, they were still in danger. She led them to stand behind a gathering of large rocks, out of eye sight. But as she did, they were followed. Astrid had an idea, to manipulate the followers to fight on their behalf. While she stood guard by Mari and Mr McCabe she was able to watch the battle field, and ensure Mari and her father's safety.

Firestorm took to the skies like a firefly, and with the help from Frost, Captain Cold and Heatwave the combination of fire and ice illuminated the night. "Wow, this is so cool!" Jefferson explained as he shot a fireball at Kuasa who kept charging for Barry.  
"Might I suggest that we don't do anything reckless, Jefferson. We would not want to harm anyone, particularly our team members. That blast just missed Barry." Martin's voice spoke into Jefferson's mind.

"Yeah, yeah! I get it, it won't happen again. But at least he was fast enough to dodge it, and I think I hit her in the process… Look."  
It was true, Kuasa seemed a little affected by the blast, but she did not stop charging for Barry. This time she managed to knock him over, he wasn't getting in many hits at all.

As the Black Canary marveled at her work; a long line of injured followers lining the ground, she saw Astrid from her place behind the rocks. "Hey, who said we could catch a break?" she asked her friend.  
Astrid stared at her, clearly annoyed. So Sara mocked her friend's earlier tone "Mission first… girl talk later."  
Astrid rolled her eyes. "I'm keeping Mari and her father safe. I manipulated those guys to fight for us…" she said pointing to Kuasa's followers who had begun attacking their own people.

"Nice." Sara replied. "But wouldn't Mari be the best person to take hold of the totem?"  
"I think that right now that it would be classed as suicide for the poor girl." Astrid argued.  
"But that's how we all learn… We all need our moment. Let her have hers. don't worry, I'll protect her with my life." Sara said.

As Cisco shot energy blasts at Lisa Snart, he could tell that she was mocking him. How stupid he had been in the past to build her that weapon, and now she was using it against him. Everything she shot turned to gold. The Midas Touch.  
"Oh Cisco. I missed you!" Lisa said.

"Shut up, Golden Glider!" Cisco snapped back. "I don't want to hurt you! But I will if I have to."  
"But maybe I want you to." She said with a smile.  
Cisco couldn't help but blush a deep shade of red, it threw him off guard, so she shot at his feet making him jump just in time. But then he hadn't looked where he was jumping, he tripped backwards onto a rock, landing on his backside.

"Ouch!" he exclaimed, but as he looked back up, he saw that Lisa's face was inches from his own. She kissed him and was about to shoot him when she suffered an excruciating headache, which made her scream out and crippled her to the floor beside him, unconscious.  
Cisco saw Astrid standing next to him, and by the look on her face she was angry. But she didn't help him up, she left him there and ran to join in with the rest of the fighting. "Oh Crap!" he said at his predicament.

Sara had brought Mari over to Barry who had just dodged another attack. "Barry, we need to give Mari the totem. It's our only shot."  
"I sent Ray to get it… But I can't find him!" Barry said, concerned.  
"Barry… this isn't the time for imaginary friends!" Sara said, baffled.  
"He's not imaginary, he's…" Barry began, but as they looked up, they saw Kuasa coming for them.

"Kuasa!" Mari yelled out as she stepped in the girl's direction, Barry went to pull her away but Sara stopped him. They watched as Mari challenged her sister.  
"You need to stop this! Once upon a time you and I were sisters… we were a family. Why do you want me dead?" As Mari asked these words, Kuasa stopped to listen to what she had to say. "All I've ever dreamt of is to know my real family, and up until just recently I couldn't remember a thing. But now I do. What we suffered was tragic but we were once very close. Please, end all of this."

Kuasa stared at her sister in silence. "Mari," she finally said, "You don't understand, once upon a time I was the guardian of the Anansi totem. It was my birthright… but then it was given to you… It still chooses you, and it will, until the day you die. So that is why, you will die by my hands, today!"  
As Kuasa had been distracted talking to Mari, she didn't notice a miniature man sitting on her chest. Ray removed the totem from around her neck and jumped over to Mari.  
Mari saw Ray, as he and the totem reached her eye level. She reacted by putting her hands out and catching him.

Seeing this, Kuasa went to leap for the totem, just as Mari fastened the totem around her neck. Ray jumped back over to Barry's shoulder.  
Mari could feel the energies all around her and felt 'at one' with the animal kingdom. She knew that she was the rightful owner of the totem.  
"Give that to me!" Kuasa snapped, trying to remove it from her neck. Mari channeled the power of the bear and felt the bravery and strength wash over her. "Leave Kuasa and never return!" she told her sister. Kuasa knew that it would be foolish to challenge Mari at that moment, so she nodded and took her followers with her.

As the team and Mr McCabe gathered around Mari, they knew that she was no longer the childlike victim that they had once seen her as.  
"Wow, that totem…" Cisco said, "…It's turned you into some sort of… Vixen!" he said with a smile.  
"Vixen?" Caitlin asked him.

"Yeah… I think the name Vixen is perfect!" Cisco said.  
"Like the spirit of the fox…" Mari said, "I like it!"  
"So Ray, where the hell did you go?" Barry asked, as Ray climbed from his shoulder and grew back to his regular height.

Ray looked a little embarrassed, "Let's just say, that from where I landed, it wasn't a far distance to reach the necklace… Not somewhere I'd like to land again! Not on Kuasa, I mean… But it might be different if it were someone else… I'll just shut up now!"  
On realizing what he meant, the group laughed a little at his unfortunate event.


	10. Chapter 10

By the time they had returned back to Central City, it was getting pretty late. While Vixen had stayed in Detroit, Martin, Jefferson and DR Snow had all gone home. The rest of the team, however, had gone back over to STAR Labs. Astrid was determined to get some answers out of Sara, so she pulled her in to her office to interrogate her.  
"Wow, Sutherland… I think Cisco might get a little concerned that the two of us are in here all alone," Sara joked.

"Cut the crap, Sara! I know that all of this is just some façade! When I scanned the fight tonight, I got a glimpse into your inner mind… You're not the Sara that I remember! Hell, are you even in there at all?"

Sara sighed, she had been wondering how long it would take. "Astrid… when I was away, a lot changed. Though not everything was a lie. The girl I met, her father was this man who taught me to fight… To put it lightly, he trains assassins… and just by me being here, I'm putting all of you and my family in danger…"

"Oh, Sara… I wish that you had told me this sooner, we can help you…" Astrid changed her tone but they were interrupted by Cisco knocking on the door.  
"I'll leave the two of you to speak…" Sara said as she went to leave, Astrid tried to stop her from going but Sara ignored her.

Cisco entered the office, closed the door and quickly said, "Astrid… what you saw back there with Lisa… that was all her… I promise!"  
Astrid said nothing and sat in her chair, silently. She looked away.  
"So, what? You're ignoring me now?" he asked her.

"Cisco… I'm in a tough situation here... to be honest, I didn't forget about that board meeting today, I just didnt want to go! I've just been trying to weigh up all my priorities… I'm the CEO of STAR Labs, your girlfriend and we all spend day and night fighting villains. It's a large amount of stress…"  
"…Woah, did you just say girlfriend? Wow…that's a lot of progress!" Cisco was happy to hear her say that word, it was the first time she had used it in relation to him.  
"…Cisco, be serious!" she said sternly.  
"…Wait, are you breaking up with me? Because I'm reading mixed signals here…Please don't!"

Suddenly, the door burst open and Barry was standing in the door way, holding up a laptop with a look of concern on his face.  
"Barry, is everything okay?" Astrid asked, noting his concern. Ray followed in after him.  
"So…" Barry began, placing the laptop on the desk. "Iris might have busted us with our little hostage situation today."  
"Yeah, but I thought that we had that covered, man." Cisco said, hoping that Barry would leave the room so they could continue their conversation.

Astrid looked at the screen and her face fell. Iris had written an article in relation to uncovering the conspiracy theories in relation to STAR Labs. She had captured a photo of Cisco standing next to Captain Cold and Heatwave, who were tied up in their chairs. Cisco had the look of someone who had just been caught busted on his face.  
Astrid swore under her breath. "Barry, you need to put an end to this, now!" she told him.

"I'll go talk to her!" Barry said leaving the room as fast as he could.  
"Hey where did those guys go, anyway?" Ray asked, referring to the two villains in the article.  
"I think they left after the battle, with Snart's psychotic sister… Who I did not kiss by the way!" Cisco said, making Ray raise his eyebrows in confusion. Ray took the hint and left Astrid and Cisco in the office.

"So… are we breaking up?" Cisco asked her, as she read through the article on the screen, in frustration.  
She didn't look at him, "No, Cisco… We're not… But I think we might need to begin hiring someone who can help us run this place. A face that people won't look at and think 'they're too young, or too pretty to run a large corporation such as STAR Labs. Someone we can trust!"  
Cisco let out a sigh of relief. "Good to hear! So, anyone in mind?" he asked.

She pulled out some documents from in her draw. "Well, I've been stewing over this for a little while now, and a name that I found on this list coincided with a name we came across in your memories. I've analyzed this guy's profile extensively… on paper he sounds brilliant! Exactly who we need! But in your memories, he was an evil speedster that I had to warn the other you about."  
"You're talking about…"

"Yeah… I'm talking about DR Wells. Who knows, he could be a good guy in this world! We will give this guy an extensive background check... even let Caitlin run a few urine and blood tests... The whole works!" Astrid said handing him the profile, "besides, judging by the way our last board meeting went, you could use a little mentoring."  
"Hey, I didn't do too badly!" he argued.

"Cisco… I've seen Ray speak in meetings… you put him to shame, he said so himself!" she laughed.  
"Gee, thanks!" he leant over and kissed her on the forehead.  
Suddenly, Ray walked in, oblivious to the moment. "That really scary girl, Sara… well, she's gone… she told me not to tell you… but I kinda thought that you should know!"


End file.
